Let us say at once that we don't regret saying at Onslow Guest House at all. We looked at Trip Advisor after booking a three night stay (yes, we know - the wrong way round) and it's fair to say that we got the impression from most of the other reviews that we had made a mistake.
We can't remember all of the comments but addressing the ones we can remember:
1. The breakfasts were ample, well cooked and used good quality ingredients. There was fruit (Fair Trade bananas, oranges) and cereals (individual packets, not from a dispenser), a Scottish fry (bacon, sausage, egg, good quality baked beans, black pudding and a potato scone), toast, butter/jam and as much tea or coffee as you could drink. We ate so much that we didn't need lunch. There was also a selection of newspapers avaliable.
2. Parking was not a problem at all. There are three places off the road in front of the guest house, more if one was able to double park. We parked on the road, which was easy, felt safe and involved just crossing the traffic-calmed street.
3. The building, we believe, is listed, and so the rooms have been carefully converted. We stayed in room one, an enornous room with lovely plasterwork and a well equiped ensuite shower room that had not damaged the ceiling or made the room feel at all small.
4. Everybody was very friendly, wanted to know where we had been that day, and were concerned that we enjoyed our stay.
5. We comfortably walked into the city every day, taking about 20 to 25 minutes, although if you wanted to, a five minute walk down the hill it would put you on Duke Steet where buses run very frequently.
6. The room had tea, coffee and hot chocolate making faciliites with nice biscuits. When we ran out they were replenished at once. The TV was good and had far more channels that we ever needed. We didn't do this; but there seems to be no objection to bringing a take-away and eating it in the breakfast room.
The negative reviews seem to describe a very different B&B to the one we stayed in. We'd certainly recommend the Onslow Guest House to any of our friends and we are certain they would not feel let down.
